7 successful accords of the olfactory pyramid
Fragrances are leaving creations showing a complex perceptual structure with a spatio-temporal development, which is more than the sum of its components. As in a music composition, fragrance notes follow each other and overlap in accords and discords, while describing a theme that keeps its individuality through several transpositions. Over time, accords and discords blend few single notes in something more, and the most impressive of them outline the fragrance composition.
When creating fragrances, the timing of expression of any single fragrance note is as important as the “character” and the “strength” of the note itself.
That’s why, based on the volatility and, more exactly, the timing of expression when part of a compound, fragrance notes along with related accords or discords (pleasing or jarring combinations of few notes) fall into three layers that are known as “top/head”, “middle/heart” and “base/end” of the fragrance structure.
Top notes are the most “volatile” ones that mark the first fifteen minutes or so of evaporation of a fragrance compound. The middle notes last for several hours. The base notes will persist for days or weeks on a perfumer’s bottlers.
Mentioned layers are generally represented as horizontal sections of a triangle that perfumers refer to as Olfactory Pyramid, and that is a great visual aid to the fragrance description.
Fragrance notes that characterize the top, the middle and the base of the fragrance structure are noted on the olfactory pyramid or by side of the pertinent section. This typical olfactory chart is generally complemented by the mention of main accords and the fragrance family classification. In some cases, icons or small pictures on the pyramid give a visual evidence of primary notes.
The main accord
The main accord of a perfume reveals the theme, or the story the scent is going to tell, and gives the perfume its classification: it can be situated in the top, in the heart or in the base, or it can cross the perfume from the opening all the way down to the base notes.
Some main accords are milestones in Perfumery History, characterizing with their presence hundreds of successful perfumes spanning at least 6 decades.
The best main accords
· Citrus Accord. The citrus accord is fresh, energizing, mood-enhancing. It is a combination of citrus essential oils like lemon, bitter and sweet orange, bergamot, lime, grapefuit, mandarin and others. Citrus is the main theme in classical Colognes and eaux Fraiches, built purposely to lift the mood and offer a splash of vitality. The absence of a heart and base accord shortens their persistency. Citrus essential oils may be complemented with spices, green herbs or florals, to offer a longer impression and interesting side aspects. Dior Eau Sauvage and Eau de Guerlain are among the best examples.
· Floral Accord. Floral accords are the most widely used in perfumery and their variety is virtually endless. They are subdivided into “fresh florals” (combinations of lily-of-the-valley, violet, hyacinth, freesia, lotus, honeysuckle, heliotrope) and “rich florals” (combinations of jasmin, rose, tuberose, lily, neroli, gardenia, orris, etc). The Floral main accord may be introduced by citrus or green notes, complemented with spices and prolonged with woody notes. The star floral accord is considered to be rose/jasmin, a trademark for many masterpieces like Chanel N.5 and Patou Joy.
Sometimes, the main accord is situated in the base but, thanks to wisely selected top and heart notes, it may impart the scent a direction since the beginning.
* Oriental Accord. The oriental accord, with its deep, mystical, intense nuances, is at the very roots of perfumery. It is a combination among woody notes (vetiver, sandalwood, cedarwood, patchouli) and vanilla, often complemented with tonka bean and benzoin. This sumptuous accord may stand alone, but in most cases it is introduced by spicy or citrus notes and a floral heart. Examples may be Guerlain Shalimar and Yves Saint Laurent Opium.
* Woody Accord. A well-balanced and rich woody accord, like an oriental one, might well stand alone, but green, spicy and citrus notes are widely used to extend its majestic dryness up to the top, while florals make a tender heart. It is a combination of woods like sandalwood, patchouli, guaiacwood, vetiver, oud, cistus labdanum, cedarwood, oakmoss or treemoss. Good examples are Hermès Eau des Merveilles and Chanel Égoïste.
* Amber Accord. This accord features a mix of cistus labdanum and vanilla, complemented with spices (cinnamon, nutmeg) and balsamic notes like benzoin, myrrh, Tolu and Peru balsams. Also the amber accord is situated in the base of the scent; to announce its presence perfumers use mainly fruity and floral notes, like in Habit Rouge by Guerlain and Habanita by Molinard.
But the main accord may span the whole fragrance, binding note after note from the opening to the base.
* Chypre Accord. Chypre is a combination of fresh/warm and bright/dark sensations, conveyed by an accord beginning with bergamot, rose, jasmin, patchouli, oakmoss and sometimes cedarwood and ciste labdanum, complemented with green notes on the top, florals in the heart and leather or tobacco in the base. Examples may be Aromatics Elixir by Clinique and Cabochard by Gres.
* Fougère Accord. Fougère main accord is a combination of green, outdoorsy sensations of lavender, hay, thyme, sage, and thicker, darker notes of oakmoss, vanilla and musk. The accord may then be complemented with leather or floral notes. Shulton Old Spices and Drakkar Noir by Guy Laroche are good examples.
What Are Fragrance Notes & Accords?
Perfumes are complex compositions of chemical compounds and synthetic or natural ingredients. Their true formulae are closely-guarded secrets. However, even if they were made known to the public, they would be almost incomprehensible. Instead, the complex arrangement of a fragrance’s different aromas is broken down using musical metaphors and vivid imagery. Rather than explore the fragrance’s literal composition, enthusiasts describe the sensual experience it provides. Perfumery is not unlike wine in that sense. Even for amateurs, the joy is discovering the bouquet and identifying its character.
Musical terminology is commonly used in perfumery as a metaphor for how a fragrance comes together. Notes are each of the different identifiable smells that make a fragrance. When these play off one another to make a harmony of aromas, they are referred to as accords. Notes described should not be taken literally but they are aromatic interpretations drawn from the chemical compounds. Similarly, they are quite subjective. Enthusiasts can often heatedly debate on the presence or absence of notes in a fragrance.
In short, notes are indicators and descriptors of individual smells in any perfume. When they work together to make something unique, they act as accords like a musical composition.
Fragrance Volatility & Life-Cycle
Have you noticed how a perfume doesn’t smell the same throughout the day? This is because you can’t smell all of a fragrance’s notes at any one time. The different compounds used to devise the notes have different levels of volatility, which are sometimes referred to as coefficients. This is caused by the skin’s heat and the way a fragrance dries and evaporates off it. The compounds in a fragrance evaporate at different speeds rather than all at the same time. As this happens, the fragrance reveals different notes to the wearer. The first notes that you can smell are considered the most volatile because they quickly fade away. Once they’re gone, something else seeps through and takes it places.
The process continues as the notes diffuse until you reach last layer of notes that tenaciously lingers for hours. This is often referred to as a fragrance’s life-cycle. A life-cycle is quite simply the way a fragrance “cycles” through its life. It is the succession of notes until the perfume expires completely. Certain fragrances cycle through their notes one after the other in a straight-forward way. Other fragrances can be quite complex as their notes will overlap with one another to form different accords.
Life-cycles are often assessed subjectively. Some enthusiasts prefer complex journeys of notes whilst others are partial to a simple, linear evolution.
Besides the olfactory pyramid, another immediate and handy tool for classifying and/or composing your own perfumes is the
Fragrance Wheel. The latest version of the Fragrance Wheel dates back to 1992 and is attributed to the fragrance historian and taxonomist Michael Edwards, an authority in the perfume industry.
His guidebooks and manuals like "Fragrances of the world" soon became a reference point not only for insiders but also for anyone who wants to approach the world of fragrances for the first time.
Perfumes and olfactory families
Although each perfume is different from the others, different fragrances share common traits that connect them to a particular olfactory family. According to the classification of
Société Française des Parfumeurs, later revised by Eugene Rimmel in 1984, the official olfactory families are:
Citrus or Hesperidic, consisting of Mediterranean notes, such as lemon, bergamot, tangerin, cedar, orange, lime and grapefruit.
Floral. These scents can be extracted from a single flower or from a bouquet of different flowers. The most used ingredients are rose, jasmine, lily, but also iris, frangipani and ylang ylang.
Woody: warm and intense fragrances mostly for men (feminine scents mix woody notes with citrus or floral ones) that smell of dry or soft woods like cedarwood, vetiver and sandalwood.
Fougère: masculine fragrances named after Fougère Royale, the famous perfume created in 1882 by the French perfumer Paul Parquet for Houbigant. It includes warm woody and slightly floral notes, with a base of lavender, geranium, vetiver, oakmoss and coumarin and a fresh citrus touch to get more vibrant compositions.
Chypre: intense and enveloping powdery fragrances. Like Fougère, this family is named after the perfume created in 1917 by François Coty. The purpose of the French master perfumer was to recreate the atmosphere of the island of Cyprus, a luxury holiday destination and a place of import of oak moss. In fact, this is one of the basic ingredients of Chypre fragrances, along with labdanum, patchouli, bergamot and floral notes like rose or lavender.
Oriental or Amber with patchouli, vanilla, musk, amber and spices: a family of sensual male and female fragrances that reminds exotic and oriental atmospheres.
Leather or Mossy. These are intense and dry notes of leather and tobacco, often used in combination with floral head notes.
Aromatic: fresh fragrances mostly for men, that recall natural atmospheres in the open air. The main ingredients, in fact, include Mediterranean aromatic herbs like lavender, rosemary and basil, but also slightly spicy notes such as peppermint, anise and red tea, that perfectly blend with marine notes for a more energetic effect.
Therefore Fragrance Wheel aims to simplify and link different olfactory families, highlighting their common points in a simple and immediate way.
According to Edwards, fragrances can be divided into four main classes: floral, oriental, fresh and woody.
Since each class is divided into other subcategories, we can distinguish 14 overall olfactory families, differing from one another for a specific olfactive tone.
